Thoughts about C-sections

 Don't let this picture fool you, this was the only time I wasn't crying.

- First off, don't have one if you can help it.

However if this is the end result, totally worth it!





- After almost an entire day in a warm, dark, labor and delivery room with a few trusted people, being slapped on a cold metal table with a whole bunch of new faces in a freezing, bright room was a total sensory overload.

- I don't like being naked in front of strangers, especially people who are not strangers to Adam and he will work with them again.

- I told Adam that I felt like Jesus because they make you keep your arms out like you are on a cross.

- The surgeon (my family practice doctor assisted) was well rested and perky and talked a lot about dogs, specifically his white German Shepard. All I wanted to hear about was my baby, but he just went on and on to the other medical people about the value of owning a family pet.

- I was able to be awake and use my already in place epidural for anesthesia. Also, you can still FEEL stuff with an epidural. I could feel them pulling my stomach apart and moving stuff around. It didn't feel painful, but it didn't feel good. It also felt a lot higher up on my body than where my incision actually is.

- I thought they would lower the blue curtain for me to see when the pulled her out. I don't know why I thought that, but I was disappointed that I missed that moment. Some nonsense about preventing infections...

- I was glad Adam knew what was going on so he could peak over the curtain and let me know what was happening.

- I heard her first cry and didn't recognize it. I asked Adam, "what was that noise?"

- I was disappointed that Adam and I couldn't immediately do skin to skin with her and I had to wait to hold her.

- I remember seeing her for the first time, but it was so quick and there was so much going on that I have more vivid memories of holding her the first night and being alone with her in the mother-baby room (Adam was there, just asleep).

- I think the surgeon did a good job. The stitches dissolve on their own, and he super-glued over it so that it didn't need a special dressing or anything.

- The next 24 hours were painful. I didn't like how long it took for me to lose the tingly feeling and regain normal feeling in my legs or feel strong enough to get up. I also didn't like that a nurse had to come in so often to take care of me.

- I couldn't wait to get rid of that catheter, take off the pulsating compression stockings, and take out the I.V.

- You can ask Adam and my mom; I was super worried about having to have a c-section during the weeks leading up to my due date. I guess I had a woman's intuition.

- In the end, my baby was HEALTHY the entire time and I couldn't love her more!